1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to electrical outlet boxes of the types mounted in walls, ceilings or the like to receive the ends of electrical conductors, and act as a point of mounting of a switch or electrical receptacle providing ready access to electrical service.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Many types of electrical switch and receptacle boxes adapted to be mounted in walls, ceilings or the like have been previously proposed. Generally, such boxes are of circular or right parallelepiped configuration and are mounted through a hole formed in the wall and dimensioned to fit closely about the side walls of the box. When so installed, the boxes have an exposed open forward face over which a plate carrying an electrical switch or receptacle can be mounted. Various devices and structure have been used for securely mounting the box in the wall. These generally entail extension of some type of long screws or bolts through parts of the wall into the switch box, or the use of straps extending behind the box and secured to the wall. In many cases, fastening members employed for this purpose have exposed heads or other unsightly portions which project to the surface of the wall and are visible. Other types of boxes involve the use of structure which is time consuming to place in position, and adequately secure to the wall.
In securing the switch or receptacle carrying cover plate to the hollow boxes thus mounted in the wall, it has been a frequent and substantially conventional practice to utilize elongated screws which are extended through portions of the cover plate and fiber washers carried thereby, and into aligned holes formed in portions of the box for receiving the screws. This generally entails a full seating of the screw from the time contact is initially made with the aperture formed for receiving the screw and located in the boxes, until the screw has been turned to its limit of movement through the aperture.